 Attendees at ProMat 2011 |
By Roger RenstromThe Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) registered nearly 32,000 attendees at ProMat 2011, compared to 31,800 at ProMat 2009.
Both events were in the south hall of Chicago's McCormick Place.
The 2011 biennial show had 677 exhibitors covering 270,000 net sqft (24,300 sqm). MHIA says exhibitors saw a 33% increase in attendee lead generation, compared to ProMat 2009.
"Participants came with very specific objectives and buying plans totalling USD75 billion over the next 18 months," says John Nofsinger, chief executive officer of Charlotte-based MHIA. "They know that investing in the latest equipment and technology is the key to building and maintaining their competitive edge."
Despite its timing in cold-weather January, ProMat 2009 had more exhibits, 729, and more floor space, 305,000 net sqft (27,450 sqm), than ProMat 2011. MHIA said 2009 was "the largest ProMat in the event's history".
Before heading to Europe for CeMat 2011, Tom Carbott, MHIA vice president, sales and events, addressed lingering questions about the absence of some forklift makers from ProMat 2011.
Toyota Material Handling USA Inc has "always been part of ProMat", Carbott says, but that ended in 2011 under a business-plan decision by the unit of Toyota Industries Corp. "Toyota sister company Raymond was there, but Toyota (USA) opted not to be there."
Another sister operation, Toyota Material Handling Europe, of Brussels, Belgium, has three listings for exhibiting equipment at CeMat 2011 in Hannover, Germany.
Anhui Heli Co Ltd has "always been a (ProMat) participant but decided not to participate this time", Carbott says.
At ProMat shows in 2009 and 2007, the free-standing US direct-sales subsidiary of Jungheinrich AG had a significant presence, but changing times ruled out a Jungheinrich exhibit at ProMat 2011. Effective from 1 January 2010, Hamburg, Germany-based Jungheinrich signed agreements with Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc (MCFA) for MCFA to produce certain Jungheinrich forklifts in Houston, Texas, and be the exclusive distributor for all Jungheinrich forklifts in North America.
Carbott says MCFA has never exhibited at ProMat but MCFA personnel attended.
Crown Equipment Corp "has never been a (ProMat) exhibitor", Carbott says, so Crown's absence was "not unusual". Crown had a presence on a fuel-cell panel and Crown representatives attended the show.
MHIA's 21-24 March ProMat in Illinois competed for attendees and exhibitors with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers' 22-26 March triennial ConExpo/ConAgg event in Las Vegas, Nevada, and, for senior managers and engineers, the Industrial Truck Association's 21-23 March spring meeting in Washington, DC.
Among those exhibiting at ConExpo but absent from ProMat 2011 were Cargotec Corp's US unit in Perrysburg, Ohio, for the Hiab Moffett and Hiab brands; J C Bamford Excavators Ltd's North American division, in Savannah, Georgia; Manitou BF SA's recently restructured West Bend, Wisconsin-based Americas organisation for the Manitou, Mustang and Gehl brands; Taylor Machine Works Inc, of Louisville, Mississippi; and Xtreme Manufacturing LLC, of Los Vegas.
At least two forklift manufacturers went to both shows. Landoll Corp, of Marysville, Kansas, had equipment at both and Sellick Equipment Ltd, of Harrow, Ontario, Canada, had a minor presence at ProMat but an equipment-filled exhibit at ConExpo.
"It was unfortunate for those not there (in Chicago), but positive for those attending," Carbott says. He was encouraged with several first-time ProMat exhibitors but says "sometimes decisions are made 14-16 months in advance" of a trade show without potential exhibitors having an opportunity to redirect resources later.
Carbott says MHIA is "way ahead of plan" and has sold 92% of the available 175,000 sqft (15,750 sqm) of exhibition space for its new Modex materials handling and logistics trade show on 6-9 February 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Modex 2012 exhibition space draw for the next MHIA-sponsored event was on 14 December. Modex is intended to reach a broader range of markets than ProMat, and, in timing, supplants the biennial North American Materials Handling and Logistics Show MHIA last produced in April 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio.